Participating

A "participating" committee refers to a technical committee in which Canada participates actively, and in which Canada has an obligation to vote on all submitted questions.

Observing

When a committee has "observing" status, it means that Canada follows the work of the committee as an observer and cannot make any comments about the development process or vote on any of the submitted questions.

Standby

Committees that are in "standby" status have no work item in progress, nor foreseen for the future, but are required to continually review the standards for which they are responsible. 

No, all applicants must be legally entitled to work in Canada (visit http://www.cic.gc.ca for more information)

Normally after a position is posted it takes up to three weeks for candidates selected for an interview to be advised. We appreciate the interest of all candidates, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Identify which position you are applying for and provide specific examples of how your background meets the position’s education, experience and language requirements.

SCC-accredited SDOs are fully expected to continue their long-standing coordination practice to avoid duplication within the Canadian standards development environment and to promote opportunities for harmonization wherever possible.

The Requirements & Guidance – Accreditation of Standards Development Organizations directly address possible duplication of standards in the system (Clause 4.3, Avoiding Duplication):

“SDOs shall make every effort to address the need of the Canadian stakeholder(s) and to not duplicate or overlap with the work of other SDOs, or relevant international or regional SDOs.”

The Duplication Resolution Mechanism was updated as part of the 2017 revision of the Requirements & Guidance – Accreditation of Standards Development Organizations with the goal of reaching a timely outcome and a decision that is responsive to Canadian stakeholder needs. These updates include a more proactive role for SCC to facilitate discussions between SDOs, the introduction of specific evaluation criteria, a clearer complaint and appeal process, and a compliance and verification process with Action Plan (issued following SCC decision on duplication).

SCC’s role is to support the standardization priorities of government and industry in Canada, and, as such, welcome comments and suggestions by stakeholders on approaches to avoid duplication of efforts.

No it does not. The standards from these organizations do not necessarily meet the SCC Requirements & Guidance for Standards Development Organizations (SDOs). SDOs can bring their standards under SCC oversight as National Standards of Canada (NSCs) after they ensure SCC’s requirements have been met.

Volunteering helps both the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) and its members. The SCC benefits because the work of members increases its capacity to accomplish its national strategic goals, objectives and plans. Members benefit because volunteering provides them with opportunities for professional development, access to committee work and expertise in standardization.

A list of those technical committees of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) where Canada participates is available from the ISO website.

Canada's committee participation in the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) can likewise be found online by visiting the IEC website.

SCC coordinates Canada's participation in international committee work through its Member Program.

Because there are more than one stakeholder interest categories to fill, volunteer opportunities remain open until the volunteer positions are filled. However, SCC reserves the right to remove the volunteer posting at any time. We recommend  you visit the site often to keep up to date with our volunteer opportunities.

We recommend that you apply to a specific volunteer position that is advertised and that suits your qualifications. However, you may also apply to a specific technical committee or subcommittee that suits your qualifications. 

The main difference between SCC and government regulators is that SCC promotes the use of voluntary standards whereas government regulators use mandatory regulations that require others to follow a set of obligations.

Voluntary standards are developed through consensus among stakeholders in a particular field. Stakeholders may include industry, government and the public.

One example of a voluntary standard is the plug. Electronics manufacturers agree to use the same kind of plug on all equipment and, as a result, plugs on electronic devices fit in all outlets.

One example of a mandatory regulation is nutrition labels on packaged food which are a mandatory requirement of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

Canada’s national standardization network is the network of people and organizations involved in voluntary standards development, promotion and implementation in Canada.

There are hundreds of organizations accredited by SCC to look after the day-to-day work of standards development, certification of persons, calibration and proficiency testing, management systems registration, and auditor training and certification.

Other government and non-governmental bodies also take part in the national standardization network. Some of these participate in accreditation programs as SCC partners. Others work on standards-related issues such as international trade agreements.

Almost 15,000 volunteers from industry, government, non-governmental organizations and the general public are involved in developing standards. Volunteers also provide their expertise to accreditation programs and advisory committees. Even the members of SCC’s Governing Council are volunteers. The employers who support the work of these volunteers are important contributors to the national standardization network.

For complete information on how to participate in international standardization visit: Get Involved in Standardization. 

For more information, visit Canadian Standards Development: Program Overview.

A standard may be withdrawn if it:

• is not up-to-date technically
• does not reflect current practice or research
• is not suitable for new and existing applications (products, systems or processes)
• is not compatible with current views and expectations regarding quality, safety and the environment

This status is also used if:

• the standard is withdrawn and not replaced by the author for any of the reasons mentioned above
• there has been a change in the standard designation (e.g. if CSA A1234-2000 is superseded by CSA B5678-2005)

In the broadest sense, a standard is anything that tells you how to do, test or identify something. For example, a recipe for spaghetti sauce is a standard. However, standards in government or business most often refer to a particular type of standard: a document developed by a committee of interested experts and published by a recognized standards body that provides independent and widely accepted guidance.

For more information, visit SCC’s orientation module Introduction to Standards and the Standards Council of Canada. 

Standards are developed through consensus by participating committees of affected stakeholders that may include representatives from industry, governments, academia and the public interest. These committees are organized and managed by an organization that specializes in the development of standards. In Canada, standards development organizations are accredited by the SCC.

For more information, visit SCC’s orientation module Introduction to Standards and the Standards Council of Canada.

International standards are developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). SCC coordinates Canada's input in international standardization work.

For more information, visit SCC’s orientation module Introduction to Canadian Participation in ISO and IEC.

For more information on how a standard is developed, visit Developing Standards.

To search for an NSC on SCC’s website:

• use the Search function (located in the top right-hand corner on www.scc.ca)
• select the tab labelled Standards
• under “Filter by type” select “Canadian Standards”

The search will provide all NSCs by publication date. You may further refine your search using the additional filters on the right side of the page. Scroll through the list and click on a standard’s number to read its description and to find out how to purchase a copy.

The Standards Council of Canada (SCC), in partnership with the Communications Security Establishment (link is external) (CSE), offers accreditation for information technology (IT) security evaluation and testing laboratories. The CSE is a federal government agency that delivers information technology security solutions to the Canadian government. SCC provides formal recognition of competence of laboratories that perform testing in the following areas:

• Biometric device testing
• Common criteria product and system evaluations
• ITS product reviews
• Secure electronic commerce application evaluations
• Specialized commercial security device testing
• Vulnerability and tiger team testing

An organization considering accreditation should plan enough time to study applicable requirements (standards), ensure its quality management system is fully operational and that staff has been appropriately trained.

Visit our section on applying for SCC accreditation for more details.

In principle, the vast majority of Canadian and international standards are voluntary.

In practice, the demands of the marketplace make many standards mandatory. A bolt manufacturer whose products do not fit a standard nut, for example, will probably not have many customers.

Buyers who want to assess whether their suppliers provide goods that conform to standards have a number of options. They may take supplier’s word for it. They may check the products themselves. They may also insist that the supplier ask an independent third party to verify the products conformity. These third parties often indicate conformity by putting their own label, or mark, on the product.

Government regulators make a standard mandatory by referring to it in legislation. Provincial and territorial electrical codes, for example, require electrical products to conform to Canadian electrical safety standards. Under these regulations, products cannot be sold unless they have been tested and certified by a recognized conformity assessment body.

One way of recognizing conformity assessment bodies is through accreditation. SCC is Canada’s national accreditation body for organizations that provide standards-related conformity assessment services.

For more information visit SCC’s orientation module, Accreditation: Where Standards, quality and conformity meet about the value and importance of accreditation. SCC also has a searchable directory of accredited certification bodies. 

SCC does not develop standards or verify the conformity of products or services to standards but rather accredits the organizations that do. To find a certification body, visit the appropriate accreditation program on our website. 

SCC offers 10 accreditation programs including testing laboratories, certification of products and electrical inspections. Details about each program can be found in SCC’s Accreditation Program Overview. 

SCC provides formal recognition of competence for laboratories calibrating measuring instruments and reference standards for areas of metrology, including:

• Acoustics and vibration
• Dimensional
• Electrical
• Frequency and time
• Ionizing radiation
• Mechanical
• Photometric and radiometric
• Temperature
• Other

For more information For more information, please contact SCC Accreditation Services at accreditation@scc.ca. Laboratories seeking accreditation under this program should apply directly to NRC/CLAS.

NRC/CLAS contact

Christine de Groot, P.Eng.
Leader, Assessment Services, NRC Metrology
christine.degroot@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca, 1-613-998-6813

Information on Canadian import regulations is available from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

Information on requirements that apply to imported products (such as whether they need to be certified as meeting particular standards) can be obtained from government organizations that administer these requirements. To search for the relevant mandatory requirements that apply to your product, refer to the database on the Canadian Legal Information website.

The Consumer Product Safety Directorate at Health Canada assists in the protection of Canadians by researching, assessing and collaborating in the management of the health risks and safety hazards of consumer products. 

SCC is an accreditation body. It accredits certification bodies that can certify your organization to ISO 9001, for example. All SCC-accredited certification bodies are listed on SCC’s Directory of Accredited Certification Bodies as well as testing and calibration laboratories (including those recognized under the OECD Good Laboratory Practices).

To find a product, process or service certification body with specific capabilities, please search our directory with a product category, the International Classification for Standards (ICS) code or standard.

An organization can self-proclaim certification or compliance to any standard.

While "self-certifying" or "self-declaring" compliance to a standard doesn't carry the same weight as third-party certification (e.g. SCC or CSA), organizations that do this are not actually doing anything wrong or illegal.

However, if you are concerned that a business is falsely claiming third-party certification, it is up to you to do your due diligence and verify the certification. For instance, if the organization says it is UL certified for ISO 9001, then UL would be able to verify that this is accurate.

To report such a situation, notify the owner of the logo or certification body. The certifying organization would then be responsible for ensuring the validity of the claim and for any next steps should the company be falsely claiming certification.

Consumer Product Safety information is provided by Health Canada,  if you are concerned about the safety of a consumer product or are thinking of importing consumer goods into Canada.

As Health Canada regulates areas such as consumer product safety, drug and medical devices, natural health products, cosmetics and other areas, you may also wish to review the related guidelines for each topic on the Health Canada website.

This program specialty area (PSA) applies to the accreditation of laboratories conducting tests and measurements on threaded fasteners and providing services that support fastener production, such as plating, producers of material destined for fastener manufacture, and commercial laboratories offering testing services. Testing conducted in the fasteners PSA is divided into five major areas:

• Chemical analysis
• Mechanical and physical testing and inspection
• Non-destructive inspection
• Dimensional inspection
• Metallography

Accreditation is the formal verification of an organization's competence to carry out a specific function. SCC is Canada’s national accreditation body.  Accreditation is an independent verification that an organization has the required competency to certify others. For example, a testing laboratory that issues certificates of compliance may be accredited by SCC. Please see our video orientation module on Accreditation for more information.

Certification is the procedure by which a third party gives written assurance that a product, process, system or person conforms to specified requirements. For example, a certification body that certifies businesses to ISO 9001 may also be accredited by SCC.

The Canadian national authorities responsible for food safety are the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Health Canada.

The Standards Council of Canada (SCC) offers accreditation to laboratories that undertake forensic testing. One of the key activities forensic laboratories undertake is the testing of physical evidence often at a crime scene or the scene of an accident. In addition to testing the evidence and issuing reports, forensic scientists frequently provide testimony on the test results for judicial applications. To ensure that this evidence stands up to scrutiny in court, it is imperative that the testing methods used by the laboratory have proven and documented credibility. Accreditation provides assurance that a forensic laboratory has adhered to recognized practices and standards. Forensic accreditation is one of 10 SCC Accreditation Program Specialty Areas. SCC offers accreditation in the following forensic disciplines:

• Biology/DNA analysis
• Chemistry/Trace analysis
• Counterfeits
• Drug chemistry
• Equine drug testing
• Explosives
• Firearms and tool marks
• Questioned documents examination
• Toxicology

A regulator enforces standards, codes or regulations and has legal power and governance over the regulation. An accreditation body has no such mandate or power. Accreditation is done on a voluntary basis, but accreditation can be mandated by regulators.

Mandatory requirements for building products are the responsibility of the Canadian provincial and territorial code authorities. Below are links to each provincial building code authorities:

Alberta Building Code
British Columbia Building and Safety Standards
Manitoba Office of the Fire Commissioner
New Brunswick Environment and Land Planning
Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Municipal Affairs
Northwest Territories Public Works and Services
Nova Scotia Building and Plumbing Code
Nunavut Protection Services
Ontario Building Code
Prince Edward Island Building and Development
Quebec Régie du bâtiment
Saskatchewan Building Standards and Licensing
Yukon Building Safety

For complete listing of Canadian provincial and territorial code authorities, visit the Code Authorities in Canada web page on the UL website.

Plumbing fixtures of any kind, including sinks and bathtubs, must comply with the requirements outlined in the National Plumbing Code (NPC) as adopted by provincial and territorial authorities. 

Canadian provinces and territories are responsible for adopting the NPC, enforcing the mandatory requirements and confirming the acceptable certification marks for plumbing products, similar to electrical safety certification marks.

For technical questions on code requirements, we suggest contacting the Canadian provincial or territorial enforcing regulatory body or bodies, which can be found on the Code Authorities in Canada web page on the UL website. 

SCC supports Canadians and Canadian businesses in a number of ways, most notably by overseeing and coordinating the work of Canada's standardization network. Standards can support Canadian innovation by spreading technological knowledge and increasing market acceptance of new or innovative products.

SCC can help your business get involved in international standards development as a way to assert Canadian influence in the global marketplace and embed Canadian innovation, technology, products and services into the standards setting process internationally. In doing so, SCC can also help your business access new markets, reduce cost/increase revenue, gain a competitive advantage globally and manage business risk.

For information about how standardization can help your business, visit Information for Business and Industry.

In Canada, information on importing and exporting can be obtained from the Canada Border Services Agency.

Information on requirements that apply to imported products (such as whether they need to be certified as meeting particular standards) can be obtained from government organizations that administer these requirements. To search for the relevant mandatory requirements that apply to your product, refer to the database on the Canadian Legal Information website.

The Consumer Product Safety Directorate at Health Canada assists in the protection of Canadians by researching, assessing and collaborating in the management of the health risks and safety hazards of consumer products.

In Canada, information on importing and exporting can be obtained from the Canada Border Services Agency.

Export requirements are generally set by the country you are exporting to. The Canadian Trade Commissioner Service may be able to help you obtain information on requirements for export markets.

If you are looking for information on exporting, Export Development Canada (EDC) is a great resource providing support for Canadian exporters. 

Environmentally conscious consumers increasingly demand that their wood-based products come from sustainably farmed forests and that they are manufactured in an environmentally sound way. Certification to forestry management standards by an SCC-accredited body shows corporate social responsibility—a testament that the producer operates in a sustainable way that ensures a renewable supply of raw materials. SCC accredits organizations that certify to ATFS, SFI and CAN/CSA Z809. 

An anti-bribery management system can help organizations prevent, detect and address bribery. It helps to reduce the risk of bribery occurring and can demonstrate to clients and stakeholders that an organization has put in place internationally recognized good-practice anti-bribery controls. SCC can accredit certification bodies that audit to ISO 37001. 

A quality management system defines and establishes an organization’s quality policy, objectives and procedures. Quality management system standards do not provide specific quality indicators or describe ways of achieving them, since these will be different in every situation. Instead, they provide generic frameworks and general principles that can be applied to any organization, of any size, in any industry.

The Standards Council of Canada (SCC) accredits certification bodies that assess and certify quality management systems to the international standard ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems.

View expected Outcomes for Accredited Certification to ISO 9001 

CyberSecure Canada is a federal cyber certification program, developed in collaboration with Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) and the Communications Security Establishment (CSE),  that aims to raise the cyber security baseline among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Canada , increase consumer confidence in the digital economy, promote international standardization and better positions SMEs to compete globally.

Certification requires Canadian SMEs to implement the baseline security controls developed by the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security. The security controls aim to give SMEs the greatest amount of protection with the least amount of burden.

The CyberSecure Canada certification mark will give certified businesses official recognition by the federal government for demonstrating their compliance to the baseline security controls.

The certification mark provides an easy way for customers, investors, partners and suppliers to know that a business has decreased their cyber risk.

If you wish to become accredited to offer the CyberSecure program to your customers, please contact our accreditation team at accreditation@scc.ca.

If you want to learn more or become certified under the CyberSecure Canada certification program, please visit ISED’s CyberSecure webpage or contact us. 

Forensic accreditation is one of 10 SCC Accreditation Program Specialty Areas. SCC offers accreditation in the following forensic disciplines:

• Biology/DNA analysis
• Chemistry/Trace analysis
• Counterfeits
• Drug chemistry
• Equine drug testing
• Explosives
• Firearms and tool marks
• Questioned documents examination
• Toxicology

SCC provides formal recognition of competence of laboratories that perform testing in the following areas:

• Biometric device testing
• Common criteria product and system evaluations
• ITS product reviews
• Secure electronic commerce application evaluations
• Specialized commercial security device testing
• Vulnerability and tiger team testing

SCC provides formal recognition of competence of laboratories conducting mineral and mineral assay analysis in support of the mining and mining exploration industries.

In order to add even greater value to its accreditation program, SCC accredits both single-element and multiple-element test methods for a wide variety of metals.

SCC offers accreditation in the following mineral analysis disciplines:

• sediments
• rocks
• ores
• metal products
• tailings
• water
• vegetation

This accreditation program applies to the accreditation of laboratories that develop test methods, validate test methods and/or evaluate test kits, and/or conduct non-routine testing in one or more testing areas.